Quick Fixes for Common Hair Problems
We all have things we would like to change about our hair. This is why the hair and beauty industry makes hundreds of billions of dollars a year creating and marketing products to help us get the hair we desire.
Even with all the advances in cosmetology, we still deal with day-to-day hair issues that can frustrate us and make us want to give in and cut it all off. Here are some quick-fixes for some of the most common hair issues faced by women:
You spend an hour in the morning getting your hair to look just right, and all is right with the world as you head out to work. But by 5 o’clock your hair's shimmer and glow has faded, and it looks dull and listless - not exactly what you want for meeting your boyfriend for drinks.
The solution is simple: keep a small bottle of spray laminator or shine serum on hand and give your hair a shine boost. Spray laminators are essentially light fruit oils that can be misted onto the hair to add shine and gloss. Shine serums serve the same purpose but are generally made from silicone and are applied using one's fingers.
Static and Fly-Aways:
This is especially a problem in winter, when the air is heated and dry, and we walk on carpeted floors, generating our own electrical charges. This can result in statically charged, fly-away hair.
Fortunately, the quick fix for this is to simply spray your hairbrush with hairspray and run it through your hair, or lightly mist the hair with spray and use your fingers to brush it down. The polymers in the hairspray act as a coating to insulate the hair and remove the static charge.
Sometimes, when our hair is damaged and frizzy, we can shampoo, condition, and style it in the morning, only to find that it looks dry and frizzy again after a couple of hours. This is because damaged hair is more porous and loses moisture much more quickly than healthy hair.
The trick to handling this type of hair problem is to keep a small spray bottle of leave-in conditioner in your purse. When the hair gets dried out and frizzy, simply spray it with the conditioner and comb it through.
Since most of us wouldn't want to run around with wet hair, be sure to use conditioner sparingly. For medium to long hair, try wearing it in a more controlled style, such as a ponytail, twist, or bun.
Oily Hair and Scalp:
Sometimes we wish we had the problem of drier hair, especially when we deal with an overly oily scalp and hair. We can shampoo and blow-dry in the morning, walking out the door with full, voluminous hair, but by mid-afternoon the hair has become oily and flattened out. Sometimes shampooing more often can help, but if you are already shampooing every day and still having issues with oily hair, it is time to try a different approach.
Shampooing the hair too often can leave it dry and in poor condition, so for those with an oily scalp, here is a trick to help control the oiliness without over-shampooing. Take a few tablespoons of cornstarch and a soft-bristled brush and apply the cornstarch to the scalp at a parting in the hair.
Move the parting a half inch at a time to one side and continue applying the cornstarch to the scalp area. Work from the center parting to one side, then from the center to the other side until you have treated the entire scalp. Leave the cornstarch in place for about 10-15 minutes to absorb the oils, then use a clean, dry bristle brush to brush out the cornstarch and the excess oil with it.
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